Zoysiagrass plant ‘Himeno’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of Zoysiagrass plant possessing a bluish deep green color, slow vertical growth, and minimal headings.

LATIN NAME OF THE GENUS AND SPECIES OF THE PLANT CLAIMED

The present invention relates to the genus Zoysia japonica, species‘Himeno’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of Invention

The present invention relates to a new and distinct asexually reproducedvariety of perennial Zoysiagrass (Zoysia japonica).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a new and distinct variety of Zoysiagrassplant that was discovered by the inventor growing among other cultivatedZoysiagrass varieties in the inventor's lawngrass collection inHiroshima, Japan. This new variety of perennial turf grass possesses aunique combination of desirable qualities such as slow vertical growth,minimal headings and a bluish deep green color.

For purposes of registration under the “International Convention for theProtection of New Varieties of Plants” (generally known by its Frenchacronym as the UPOV Convention) and noting sections 1612 of the Manualof Patent Examining Procedure, it is proposed that the new variety ofZoysiagrass of the present invention be named “‘Himeno’ Zoysiagrass.”

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a color photograph depicting the leaf blades of ‘Himeno’,which exhibit a bluish deep green color of 10GY5/6 using the MunsellColor System. The leaf blade is flat, with a round bottom and graduallytapers to an acute point. The first mature leaf is 3.8-4.9 millimetersin width and 3.0-4.5 centimeters long.

FIG. 2 is a color photograph depicting the spikes of ‘Himeno.’ The spikecontains stigmas of yellowish white color of 1GY9/1 using the MunsellColor System. The glumes are 2.3 millimeters long and are reddish browncolor of 7R2.5/6 using the Munsell Color System.

FIG. 3 depicts DNA testing of ‘Himeno’ and other Zoysiagrass varietiesusing CMN-B42 Primer.

FIG. 4 depicts DNA testing of ‘Himeno’ and other Zoysiagrass varietiesusing CMN-B46 Primer.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

‘Himeno’ was discovered growing in the inventor's Miyachi and YanoCollection in Hiroshima, Japan. Specifically, ‘Himeno’ was discoveredgrowing in a pot as progeny of one of five strains of Zoysia japonicawhich the inventor had previously collected from Yaku Island, which islocated in the southern portion of Kyushu, Japan with a latitude of 30.2degrees north and a longitude of 130.4 degrees east. As measured from1980 to 1999, the yearly average temperature of Yaku Island is 19.2° C.and the yearly average rainfall is 4501 mm. The soil type of the landwhere ‘Himeno’ was found is a sandy-loam soil.

After collecting the five strains from Yaku Island, the inventor placedeach of the five strains of Zoysia japonica in individual pots in the“Miyachi and Yano Collection,” which is a nursery and research facilityspecializing in varieties of Zoysia japonica. The five pots werenumbered and the origin of the Zoysiagrass was noted. Although the fivestrains of Zoysiagrass retrieved from Yaku Island all are strains ofZoysia japonica, none of them have variety names since they wereexisting in an uncultivated state and have not been commercialized. Thefive strains brought back from Yaku Island each exhibited a very largeplant height and a deep yellowish green color, while ‘Himeno’ is muchshorter and has a bluish deep green color. Two of the five strainsbrought back from Yaku Island were unable to survive and deteriorated.‘Himeno’ emerged from one of these two deteriorated pots. The threesurviving strains were designated as ‘J-29’ (not patented), ‘J-30’ (notpatented) and ‘K-1’ (not patented).

‘Himeno’ was discovered growing in sandy-loam soil native to Hiroshimain a pot in the Miyachi and Yano Collection. The location of the Miyachiand Yano Collection has an average mean temperature of 11.5° C. andreceives an average of 1.46 meters of rainfall annually. Temperatureextremes may approach −10° C. and 33° C. The location of the Miyachi andYano Collection is 580 meters above sea level.

After discovery, the inventor asexually reproduced ‘Himeno’ by cuttingstolons and rhizomes, rooting them in soil and planting the rootedmaterial to provide planting stock for studying performance and forcomparison.

This newly discovered variety of Zoysiagrass is a perennial thatexhibits an attractive and striking bluish deep green color, slowvertical growth, minimal headings, low temperature hardiness, lowvertical growth, stable growth, and durable stolon. The mostdistinguishable characteristics of ‘Himeno’ are its bluish deep greencolor, slow vertical growth, and minimal headings.

‘Himeno’ is a durable turf grass well suited to recreation areas andrequires less maintenance in comparison to other popular Zoysiagrassvarieties such as ‘Meyer’ (not patented) and ‘Emerald’ (not patented).The leaf is very short and dense. The stolon is relatively thick andvery tough compared to other Zoysiagrass. The grass exhibits very goodtolerance to wear and consolidation. It is also quick spreading and hasminimal water and fertilizer requirements. The low plant height of‘Himeno’ reduces mowing frequency. Thus, ‘Himeno’ is well adapted to usein sports fields, parks and for water and wind erosion control.

FIG. 3 depicts DNA testing of ‘Himeno’ and other Zoysia varieties usingthe RAPD method and CMN-B42 Primer. FIG. 4 depicts DNA testing of‘Himeno’ and other Zoysia species using the RAPD method and CMN-B46Primer. In each testing, template DNA was extracted from the matureleaves of ‘Himeno’, ‘J-29’, ‘J-30’, ‘K-1’, ‘Meyer’, ‘Victoria’ (U.S.Plant Pat. No. 9,135), ‘El Toro’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 5,845), ‘Miyako’(U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,187), ‘Emerald’, Zoysia matrella, Zoysiatenuifolia, and Zoysia macrostachia and was replicated with primer usingPCR techniques. The amplified products were electorophoresised onagarose gel, stained and photographed. As can be ascertained from theDNA testing, ‘Himeno’ is distinguishable from the three strainsretrieved from Yaku Island (J-29, J-30 and K-1) and the above mentionedZoysiagrass varieties.

The ‘Himeno’ plant in FIGS. 1 and 2 is about seven (7) years old. The‘Himeno’ plant emerged from a pot containing a deteriorated strain ofZoysia japonica collected from Yuka Island in 1992. The photographs ofFIGS. 1 and 2 were taken in 1999.

A detailed description of the ‘Himeno’ Zoysiagrass:

(a) The leaves of ‘Himeno’ exhibit a bluish deep green color of 10GY5/6using the Munsell Color System.

(b) The grass grows fast horizontally with an erect very low-growthcharacteristic.

(c) The grass spreads by stolons and rhizomes, forming the highest denseupright growth among the known varieties of Zoysia japonica with auniform surface and with an extensive root system. The stolons are avery dark red color, 1R2.5/2 using the Munsell Color System. Theinternodes are 2.0-3.0 centimeters apart and have a diameter of 1.5-2.0millimeters.

(d) The headings are minimal and the culms are very short. The culms donot rise above plant height.

(e) The leaves are rolled in a bud shoot.

(f) The leave blade is flat, with a round bottom, and gradually tapersto an acute point (see FIG. 1). The leaf veins are prominent and theleaf margins are smooth.

(g) The first mature leaf is 3.8-4.9 millimeters in width and 3.0-4.5centimeters long.

(h) The leaf blade has a few hairs.

(i) The ligule is a fringe of hairs.

(j) Auricles are absent.

(k) The collar is broad and continuous.

(l) The sheath is glabrous, and split with separate margins.

(m) The entire plant is glabrous, except on the upside of the leaf bladeand on the inside of the collar just above the ligule, where severallong hairs are present.

(n) The inflorescence consists of a single spike at the top of the mainstem (see FIG. 2).

(o) The spikelet contains stigmas of yellowish white color of 1GY9/1using the Munsell Color System. The glumes are 2.3 millimeters long andare reddish brown color of 7R5/6 using the Munsell Color System.

(p) The seed is sterile and there are very few headings which are hardlyfound.

The ‘Meyer’ variety is the closest known variety of Zoysiagrass to‘Himeno.’ A description of ‘Meyer’ is:

(a) ‘Meyer’ exhibits a deep green leaf color of 7GY5/6 using the MunsellColor System.

(b) ‘Meyer’ is slightly low growing horizontally, with an erect lowgrowth characteristic.

(c) ‘Meyer’ spreads by stolons and rhizomes, forming a high denseupright, uniform surface with an extensive root system. The stolons aredeep red color of 1R2.5/6 using the Munsell Color System. ‘Meyer’ hasinternodes 3.2-4.2 centimeters apart and 1.3-1.8 millimeters indiameter.

(d) The heading is marked.

(e) The leaves are rolled in a bud shoot.

(f) The leaf blade is flat, with a round bottom and gradually tapers toan acute point.

(g) The first mature leaf is 3.8-4.9 millimeters in width and 3.0-4.5centimeters long.

(h) The leaf blade has a few hairs.

(i) The ligule is a fringe of hairs.

(j) Auricles are absent.

(k) The collar is broad and continuous.

(l) The sheath is glabrous and split with separate margins.

(m) The entire plant is glabrous, except on the upside of the leaf bladeand on the inside of the collar just above the ligule, where severallong hairs are present.

(n) The inflorescence consists of a single spike at the top of mainstem.

(o) The spikelet contains stigmas of pale pink color of 7R9/1 using theMunsell Color System. The glumes are 2.3 millimeters long and are a darkred color of 4R2.5/6 using the Munsell Color System.

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Zoysiagrass plantas described and illustrated herein.